Fruit-drier



(N o Model.) A 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. T. CAMPBELL.

Fruit Drer. A

No. 237,958. Patented Feb,."22,1ss1.

N.FETER5. PHOTO-UTHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON, n C.

(No Model.) l 2 sheets-sheet 2.

Y J. T. CAMPBELL. Fruit Driel.

N0. 237,958. Patened Feb. 22,1881.

N. PETERS. PHOTO-L11 HQGRAFHER, WASHINGTON. u c.

V Unirse S ATES JOHN T. CAMPBELL, OF EDGEWOOD, ILLINOIS.

FRUIT-Dalen.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 237,958, dated February22, 188]..

Application tiled October 11, 1880.

To all whom it may concern,

Be it known that I, JOHN T. CAMPBELL, of Edgewood, in the county ofEffingham and State of Illinois, haveinven ted certain new and usefulImprovements in Fruit-Driers 5 and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,which will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,which form a part of this specification.

Figure l is a view, in perspective, of a fruitdrier embodying myimprovements. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 3is a vertical lateral sectional view. Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectionalview through the line mw in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective viewof one of the notched trays, and Fig. 6 is a detail view of the doubleindicator and bar.

The invention has relation to fruit-driers 5 and it consists in theimprovements in the construction of the same hereinafter fullydescribed, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring by letter to the accompanying drawings, A indicates adouble-walled furnace, located within a chamber, B. The flue for theescape of the products of combustion leads from the front ofthe furnacethrough the wall of the chamber B. The bottom of the chamber B isprovided with a transverse central openin g, C, above which is located adamper, D, which may be used to admit cold air to the chamber, either infront of the middle or in rear of the middle of said chamber,accordingly as the damper D is pushed forward over the opening orrearward over the same. rIhe damper D may also be used to close theopening() to exclude cold air entirely. The furnace A beingdouble-walled presents a chamber, E, below the fire-box F. The lowerwall of this portion of the furnace has an opening or longitudinal slot,G, which registers with the opening O. A damper, H, is interposedbetween walls of the chamber E, to deiiect the hot air either to thefront or rear of the iniddle, or to entirely close the opening G. Thecold air, when admitted to the chamber B, passes upward around thefurnace, and hinged dampers or valves H H2, provided with manipulatin grods, are located immediately at the (No model.)

either end of the drier to open or close it, or

to cause the heatto be deflected to either side, as may be desired.

Immediately above the chamber B is the chamber K, into which the trayscontaining the fruit are to be introduced through a door, L. Cleats Mare secured to the sides of the internal flue, I, upon which the traysare to be rested and pushed in. The tray-chamber K has vertical slotsNinits end walls, and through these slots N arms O project inwardly fromthe arms or vertical guide-rods p of a lever, P, fulcrumed outside ofthe walls ofthe chamber K.

Near the front and rear of the end walls of the chamber K, and let intothe same, are shouldered springs Q, the object of which is to supportthe trays R after the latter have been introducedinto the cham ber K,and afterward elevated by the lever P and arms O.

Let into the rear wall of the ue I, so as not to interfere with theelevation ofnthe fruittrays, is a metal bar, S, extending 'the entirevertical length of said flue.

Opposite the door L, and upon the exterior of the rear wall of the flueI, is a two-armed indicator consisting of the pivoted arms T and U,connected by a rod or wire, V, the arm T being pivoted to the lower endof the metal bar S. This indicator is to be operated by the contractionand expansion of the metal bar S, to indicate the state of the interiorof the flue I.

Upon the top of the flue I is hinged a cap, W, having sliding sides Xand a verticallysliding central cap-piece, Z,working in grooves. Theobject of thus constructing the cap W is to adjust the cap by moving thesliding sides X and the cap-piece Z to give the iiue I either a side ora central escape, or to 4give it both a side and acentral escape for theheated air. The object of hingin g the top or cap WV is to permit it tobe turned back upon the arms a a, to enable the operator to remove thetrays R when the fruit has been cured. A ladder, b, is provided toenable the operator to reach the top of the iiue I for this purpose.

The trays R may be of any ordinary construction, except that the cornersshould be notched on the under side in the direction ot' the springs Q,in order that when a tray has been elevated by the lever and arms in theHue I the Weight of the tray will be removed from the springs to permitthelatter to return to a normal position to support the elevated trayuntil the next tray can be inserted into the chamber K and elevated tothe place occupied by the first tray. Y.

It will be readily observed that the operation of inserting the trayscontaining freshlyprepared fruit may be continued as rapidly as thefruit alreadyintroduced has been subjected to arequisitc amount of heat,and that the trays will be elevated at each introduction of a new tray,and as they reach the top of' the iue I they should be removed by theattendant.

In order to prevent too rapid cooling ot' the lue I, an outer Wall, d,is made around the flue I, and is secured by staples and keys, or in anyother suitable manner that will permit its removal, if desired. vWhenthis auxiliary Wall is employed a door, e, is arranged to permit theinspection of the indicator.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as ne\v anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. rI he herein-described tray for fruit-driers, having the cornersnotched to relieve the springs from the weight of the trays, incombination with the elevating-lever l? O, chamber K, and iue I, as setforth.

2. In a fruit-drier, the hinged cap W, having sliding sides X andvertically-slidingeentral cap, Z, in combination with the flue I,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In afruit-drier,the doublewalled furnace A, located within thechamber B, in combination with the dampers D and H, operating to governthe openings C and Gr, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. In a fruit-drier, the combination, with the double-Walled furnace A,chambers B K, and Iiue I, ot' the slatted damper or dctlector J, locatedabove the furnace, and the dampers H' H2, hinged at the sides, beneaththe chamber K, all substantially as shown and described.

5. In a fruit-drier, the iiue I, having the chamber K, provided withvertical slats N and springs Q, in combination with the levers I",having vertical guide-rods p, earryin g arm O, for the purpose ofelevating the trays, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN THOMAS CAMPBELL.

Titnesses G. H. C. ANDEnsoN, J As. H. FURBER.

